


Don't Tell Me To Be Strong

by Lilsciencequeen



Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV)
Genre: 4x16 spoilers, Angst, Blood, Canon Compliant, Canon-Typical Violence, Canonical Character Death, Death, F/M, Fluff, Framework, Guess Who Is Going To Hell?, Gun Violence, I'm Going to Hell, I'm Sorry, Pain, Violence, What-If
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-05
Updated: 2017-04-05
Packaged: 2018-10-15 06:12:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,868
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10551422
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lilsciencequeen/pseuds/Lilsciencequeen
Summary: She was in the lab.She was always in the lab.// Or; How Jemma Anne Simmons and Dr. Leopold Fitz got to where they are in the Framework.





	

**Author's Note:**

> MAJOR SPOILERS FOR 4X16! You have been warned.
> 
>  
> 
> I basically wanted to explore how FitzSimmons got to where they were in the Framework and so this was born. Thanks for checking out. Hope you guys enjoy! 
> 
> Special shout out to [stjarna](http://archiveofourown.org/users/stjarna/pseuds/stjarna). Because I don't think I could have done this one without you!

She was in the lab.

She was always in the lab.

“Jems?” he asked, pushing the door open and smiling at her. She spun in her chair and beamed up at him.

“Fitz, what are you doing here? I thought you had the day off?” she asked, frowning, lines of concern laced into her forehead. “Is everything okay?”

“What? Yeah, yeah everything’s okay. Just thought I’d pop in and see you.”

She smiled at him, a warm feeling of love flowing through her. “Oh Fitz.” She pushed herself of her chair and walked over to him, wrapping her arms around his neck and drawing him in close. She allowed her lips to dance over his, a slow tender kiss. It was a kiss that was full of love and promise and hope for the future.

She gave a low moan when his teeth nipped at her bottom lip. It was exciting, it was everything that she wanted in life. Her best friend, her boyfriend, standing there in front of her, holding her close.

Eventually, though it was slow and reluctant, they pulled apart, foreheads resting and he allowed himself to trail one of his hands down her cheek. His rough, calloused hand a stark contrast against her smooth and soft cheek. “I love you,” he whispered, the edges of his lips continuing to dance upwards.

“I love you too,” she replied. “And I’m sorry. That I’m not off tomorrow.”

He shrugged, knowing that she couldn’t get the time of work tomorrow to celebrate their first anniversary. S.H.I.E.L.D. had been working the biology division overtime, with the emergence of new Inhumans. The Cambridge Incident had still been fresh, the wounds still healing but S.H.I.E.L.D., the team that Jemma was leading, was trying to show the world that they weren’t all dangerous, that some of them were in fact just people who were different.

And that those differences weren’t a bad thing.

“It’s okay,” he replied, placing a kiss on her forehead, one hand still cupping her cheek and the other holding her hand. “We can go out this weekend. Now, what you working on?”

She beamed at him, and spun, though refused to let go of his hand. “Do you know that Inhuman we brought in the other day, Adam Roderick?”

“The one who can create illnesses?”

Jemma nodded, taking her seat once again and pulling it close to the computer. “In a sense, yes. It’s not illness, disease, in its typical form. It’s more akin to a bioweapon, like something A.I.M. would design. And he has an enhanced immune system… Well,” she looked up at him and he felt his heart constrict seeing her like this. Seeing her this happy. She really was in her element here. And that’s all he wanted for her. To be happy. “There…” She had opened something on screen and was pointing to it. “A cure. To what he can release.”

Fitz leaned in close. “You did it?”

She nodded. “We got there and Adam was more than happy to co-operate. He felt as though he were paying something back, giving something back. At least we have something in-case A.I.M. ever use his blood that they have.”

“You think they could isolate the components that are dangerous?”

Jemma nodded, turning to look at him. Her face had darkened slightly and her tone was grim. “Yes. They’re almost there. You know Bobbi?” He nodded, giving her the prompt to continue. “She’s my source. She says they're getting close, no matter how hard she tries to set it back but at least we have something to fall back on when the worst does happen.”

Fitz nodded, reading the data she had left there then gave a heavy sigh. “Let’s just hope it doesn’t come to that…”

Jemma nodded her agreement and was about to speak again when another voice spoke. “Agent Simmons.”

The both of them turned around and saw that Aida, head of public relations for S.H.I.E.L.D. was standing there. “My office. Now please.”

She was flanked by two guards and Jemma felt an uneasiness in her stomach, one that she was sure that Fitz shared. She knew he would be wondering what was happening, why was she being called out.

But Jemma knew.

Jemma knew exactly why she was being called out.

She knew what she had done wrong that had led her to this situation.

So, she did what she had to do. She plastered a fake smile and turned to Fitz. “It’s okay, go on home. I’m going to be stuck here another number of hours.”

“You sure?” he asked, and he seemed unsure, uncertain of leaving her behind.

She nodded, fluttering her eyelashes at him. “Fitz, please. I’m fine. Just… just… I love you, okay?” She leaned in and placed another kiss on his lips. “I love you.”

If he heard the pain in her voice, he didn’t comment. “I love you too.”

And with that he watched her be lead down the corridor by Aida and the guards. It must have been important if she was having an escort.

Then left the building, for at home, in their apartment, he had things to get ready.

***

“For what do I owe the pleasure, Aida?” Jemma asked once she was alone in Aida’s office with her. She had taken a seat on one side of the desk while Aida was on the other. “Or should I say Madame Hydra?”

“You know?” Aida asked. “How?”

Jemma scoffed. “I have my sources.”

“Who?”

“I won’t say.”

Aida shrugged, reaching over for her laptop and typing something. “I know anyway. I can find out.”

“I know,” Jemma said, the strength in her tone only wavering but not falling away completely. “And that’s why they’re gone. Halfway around the world now I can only guess.”

“Why didn’t you flee then?” Aida asked, typing something on the laptop before closing the lid and leaning across the desk. “Why didn’t you flee with Lance Hunter?”

She raised on shoulder half-heartedly. “I still had things to do here. I still had work to do with S.H.I.E.L.D.”

Aida gave a sharp laugh and removed one hand from the desk. “If you’ve seen our plans, and leaked them. Or are planning to as I’ve not yet seen them hit the internet, then you know we’re almost there, what we’re planning.”

“I do,” Jemma nodded her head in confirmation, feeling the confidence fade, the persona that she had put on fall away. She knew that it was nearly too late to do anything. That everything was up to Hunter now. She just hoped that he would be able to succeed before Hydra did. “But that’s why I’m still here. Why I’m still fighting. You’re not going to win Aida. You, Hydra, hatred, fear…” she shook her head. “It will never win. Love, hope, peace. It will win out. In the end, it will always win.”

There was a sound of a drawer slamming and Aida placed a gun on the desk. “Dr. Simmons, let me ask you a question. Do you fear death?”

She rose, and made her way around the room. As she passed Jemma, she reached into the Brit’s blouse pocket and lifted her phone out, turning it on and looking at the lock screen. Her and Fitz, together from their last holiday to Perthshire. She was on his back, and the trees were raining autumn leaves behind them. They were both laughing at some bad joke that her father had made. It was one of her happiest memories with Fitz. The phone was then dropped on the floor, a now unless object. Aida had no need for it. She had seen what she had wanted to see.

“Death?” Aida asked again, seemingly wanting an answer from this. “Do you fear it?”

“As a concept, no.” Jemma shook her head. “We’re all to die in the end, whether at 25 or 95. It happens to us all and we shouldn’t fear it. But to die myself, I can’t say I’ve ever given it much thought.”

Aida gave a wicked grin in the mirror, one that Jemma never caught. “Dr. Simmons, you know that we can’t let you leave here. Not with what you know.”

Jemma sighed, rolling her eyes. “What super-secret base are you planning on locking me up in? Please don’t let it be the Fridge, you know the air con doesn’t work there.”

Aida shook her head. “You know that you can’t leave here _alive_.”

Jemma felt her blood run cold, icy liquid pounding through her veins and numbing her. She was going to die here. Tonight. Unless she could escape… unless… She risked a glance at Aida, who had her back turned. The head of PR was retrieving something from a brief case so as quick as she could, Jemma swiped the gun from the desk, and spun. She rose, knocking the chair over in the process. She pointed the gun at the other woman. Who had a vial in her hand.

“Is that…” Jemma asked, scared to know the answer and Aida nodded.

“Adam’s blood? The part with the bioweapon? It is. You do know how many people this can take out Dr. Simmons?”

“The whole building…” her voice was quivering. Aida had her cornered. She wasn’t going to be winning this battle, this wasn’t one that she would return from alive. She just hoped that Hunter was able to do what needed to be done. But there was some consolation in the situation. That the bioweapon would take Aida out also. Unless… “You have the cure…” Jemma pointed out.

“Hydra R&D brought it by this morning. Works perfectly.”

Jemma knew she had to act. She could shoot Aida. Kill Aida now. But that would kill her and hundreds of people in the process. She couldn’t be responsible for that. Not ever.

She set the gun down, and raised her arms in the air, surrendering. “Aida, take me. Kill me. Do whatever you want to me but leave everyone out of this. Their innocent. They don’t deserve death because of me. Because of my mistakes.”

Aida cocked her head, as if thinking about it. She made her way across the room, and set the vial down on the table, the glass remaining pure and whole. She looked at Jemma again, pouting and reached up, stroking Jemma’s cheeks and wiping away tears that even Jemma didn’t know herself was crying.

“It’s going to be okay,” Aida whispered, her voice sickly sweet as it tried to be reassuring then she reached behind her, retrieving the gun and shot Jemma once in the collarbone.

Her legs instantly went out from under her, and she gave a cry of pain. Trying to reach for wound to stem the bleeding but the blood coated her fingers, sticky red gloves that marred her skin.

Aida smiled down at her, venom on her lips and malice in her eyes. “I’m sorry Dr. Simmons. Sorry you can’t live to see the New World Order. We could have used someone like you with us.”

She reached for the vial once again and smashed it, a red puff of smoke filling the surrounding area before vanishing. Jemma knew it would take minutes before everyone in the building would start dying, their cells ripping themselves apart. She had to get help.

As she lay on the soft cream carpet of the office, a puddle of blood forming under her, she knew she had to act. She watched as Aida made her way to the door, her eyes following the path the woman was taking then she saw it. Her phone.

Using what little strength that she had left she rolled over, and tried to reach for the device, arm and hand outstretched but as Aida was closing the door she saw what the biochemist was doing. She was stretched across the floor, hand almost closing around the device. But her chest was exposed.

Aida fired another shot, the bullet finding its mark in Jemma’s heart.

The pain and agony of bleeding out stopped immediately.

But Jemma was dead instantly.

And Aida left the building, heels clicking on the floor as she did so, pain and suffering all around her.

***

It didn’t take long for the news to reach him.

But first it hit the internet.

That there had been an incident at the Science and Technology division of S.H.I.E.L.D.

That an Inhuman, one they had been trying to help controversially, had released a bioweapon.

And that people were dying. So far there had been a dozen deaths but that number was climbing. No names had been published, the dead still anonymous. Just bodies. Not mothers or fathers. Sons or daughters.

Fitz was beside himself. Jemma hadn’t contacted him yet to say that she was safe, that she was alive. And she wasn’t answering his calls.

There was no way that he could get to that area of town, the whole city had been put under lockdown until the situation could be dealt with.

He hoped, he prayed to a god, to an entity that he wasn’t sure he believed in, that Jemma was okay. That she was spared from the chaos that was erupting all around him. Destroying the perfect world that he had created, that he had built with Jemma.

He wanted her, as selfish as it seemed, to have left work early, to have left the tidying up to some lab tech, and to be driving. He wanted that to be the reason she couldn’t answer her phone. That she was driving.

It was another two hours before he heard anything else. It was another two hours before the names of the dead started to become news, for the anonymous to become known.

And Jemma Anne Simmons was among them. She was one of the first names that was mentioned. She was among the dead.

When the phone call came through, his legs collapsed under him as grief overwhelmed him.

His cries filled the room as the chicken in the oven started to smoke and burn.

His sobs were a horrific soundtrack that played behind the hustle and bustle of his apartment complex.

And on the bedside table, the red velvet box with the band of silver sat unused, abandoned.

***

When Jemma Anne Simmons died, they couldn’t return her body to her parents.

It was contaminated and had to be disposed of properly. The couldn’t transport it. They couldn’t bury it.

But her parents didn’t want to bury an empty casket. They couldn’t.

But they also wanted a grave. A place where they could grieve and a place where they could remember their daughter.

So they filled the box with objects of Jemma, a representation of her life.

Everyone that was close to her donated something, presents she had gifted them, photographs of happier times together.

The object that Leopold Fitz donated though was something that Jemma should have gotten, something that represent happiness and love. He donated the ring, shaped as a DNA strand with diamonds embedded in it, hanging on a metal chain. She should be wearing it.

It shouldn’t be buried as a representation of her life.

But it was.

The last that he saw of the ring was that it was residing on the picture that he had also given.

The one of them in Perthshire.

***

The day that Jemma Anne Simmons died was also the day that Leopold Fitz had died.

He felt pain, anger, rage and grief.

S.H.I.E.L.D. knew what they had been dealing with with the Inhumans.

And they had killed Jemma.

He had handed in his resignation, like so many others had. No one wanted to work there any more, it was too dangerous.

Over two hundred had died and scores were still hospitalised.

And from the ashes, rose a new organisation, a new hope. One that promised a stop to these dangers, one that promised protection, one that promised the justice the world deserved and an end to the Inhuman plague.

Hydra rose from the ashes and took its place as head of the New World Order.

And Fitz joined.

No not Fitz.

Fitz had died the day Jemma had died.

Leopold.

And he rose in the ranks quickly.

It helped that he knew the leader.

A woman who went simply by the name of Madame Hydra.

And there had been whispers to begin with, whispers that soon stopped, that he had slept his way to the top.

Because once he had made his way up there, he simply became known as The Doctor. The man who ended the Inhuman plague before it even began.

Because he didn’t want any more death.

He didn’t want any more suffering.

He didn’t want anyone else to end up like his best friend.

Dead like the woman that he loved.

And the way he saw it, he was doing what she would have wanted him to do.

Make the world a better place.

**Author's Note:**

> The name of the Inhuman is one from the comics.  
> But this is my interpretation of What If, and do you guys agree? Do you have a difference of opinions? Feel free to let me know in the comments. Thanks for checking out, title is from Friction by Imagine Dragons.


End file.
